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Luminary Shigeru Miyamoto hasn't lost his shimmer in the eyes of game developers, with a recent industry poll finding the Nintendo icon to be without equal. The survey, commissioned by organizers of next month's Develop Conference, asked 9,000 devs to name their game development hero, with nearly a third of respondents pointing to Miyamoto as the man with the plan.

The popularity contest also named id Software's John Carmack as the next most idealized developer, followed by Maxis and now Stupid Fun Club brainpan Will Wright. The top ten list of industry highlights was rounded out by Braid dev Jonathan Blow, who's likely too busy rewinding time (to see if he can somehow land higher on the ballot) to care.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>braiddevelop-conferenceDSid-softwarejohn-carmackjonathan-blowmiyamotonintendoshigeru-miyamotoshigerumiyamotoshiggystupid-fun-clubWiiwill-wrightMon, 15 Jun 2009 11:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/08/miyamoto-flattered-not-worried-by-sony-microsoft-motion-contro/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/08/miyamoto-flattered-not-worried-by-sony-microsoft-motion-contro/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/08/miyamoto-flattered-not-worried-by-sony-microsoft-motion-contro/#comments
If there was one driving theme behind this year's E3, it was that motion controls are too cool for school. However, even with both Microsoft and Sony jumping onto the bandwagon with their own gesture-based antics, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto tells the BBC that he's "not worried at all" about being left behind.

In fact, the brain trust says that Nintendo's "very flattered" by the competition. Still, Miyamoto barbed his comments, stating that, based on what he's seen so far, neither competitor's motion controllers "have the type of depth that we're able to provide with Wii Motion Plus." Sony. Microsoft. You hear that hitting the floor? That's the gauntlet.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbce3-2009Microsoftmiyamotomotion-controlmotion-controlsmotion-sensingmotionsensingnintendoshigeru-miyamotoshigerumiyamotoWiiXbox-360Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/11/shigeru-ocarina-of-time-could-have-been-in-first-person-perspec/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/11/shigeru-ocarina-of-time-could-have-been-in-first-person-perspec/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/11/shigeru-ocarina-of-time-could-have-been-in-first-person-perspec/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Nintendo WiiThere aren't many gamers who don't harbor fond memories associated with the Nintendo 64's classic adventure (and to many, the greatest installment in the Hylian franchise), Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. In addition to its beloved story and incredible visuals, it was a groundbreaking third-person adventure through an intricately detailed fantasy world -- but would we (and Game Rankings) still hold the triforce-hunting adventure in such high regard if we had experienced Hyrule directly through the point-eared protagonist's eyes?

With still no European or exact US release date to speak of, Wii Fit and its accompanying Wii Balance Board have been somewhat forgotten outside of Japan, where sales have been brisk. Nintendo, however, has certainly not neglected its pressure-sensitive peripheral, with tentative plans to take advantage of the Balance Board in future releases.

In a recent Famitsu magazine interview, Shigeru Miyamoto admitted that Nintendo may consider developing future software titles that use the Wii Balance Board, depending on how well the Wii Fit package performs overseas. Today, Namco Bandai is releasing Family Ski in Japan, which includes an option to play using the Balance Board. If Nintendo were to go ahead and continue developing for the Balance Board, would we be seeing more fitness titles, sports titles, or perhaps something else altogether?

You'll find the streaming clips in the Japanese site's powerups and galaxies sections, yelling out with orange word balloons, "New!" You can watch them past the post break, too. Also on the list of updates for today, the third volume of Iwata Asks (Super Mario Galaxy edition) has some great footage of a live orchestra recording one of the game's songs while Koji Kondo and Shigeru Miyamoto watch, an overturned tea table likely nearby. According to the interview, 28 tracks in all have been recorded by the orchestra.

It's likely just us -- in fact, we're sure of it -- but there's something about Super Mario Galaxy's main theme that reminds us of the Perfect Strangers opening credits, particularly the part where the song crescendos, "Staaanding tall!" Also, the action-platformer's music makes us break out into the "Dance of Joy" whenever we hear it, causing us to jump into the arms of anyone nearby. It's really quite embarrassing for everyone involved.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-platformeriwata-askskoji-kondokojikondomiyamotomusicorchestraperfect-strangerspowerupshigeru-miyamotoshigerumiyamotosmgsuper-mario-galaxysupermariogalaxyThu, 18 Oct 2007 10:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/19/wii-warm-up-executive-power/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/19/wii-warm-up-executive-power/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/19/wii-warm-up-executive-power/#comments
In the past several years, it seems the reputation of gaming industry executives has begun to reach epic levels, proportionate, perhaps, to the spread of gaming as a culture. But we're also starting to think that maybe the corporate hype machines are getting a little out of control. What matters more, personality or product? Maybe it's just us, but it seems the lines are beginning to blur.

We can understand a healthy dose of Miyamoto-worship -- the man is a legend in the industry, and he's responsible for more of our cherished childhood memories than we'd like to admit. And sure, we love Reggie, and Iwata is the man (by that, we mean one hell of a savvy businessman), but is it really their personalities that make Nintendo what it is right now? No, it's certainly their skills ... so what's with all the executive worship that is spreading throughout gaming communities? Is it just that industry execs are out in the open more and more often, or is it something else? After all, most of the people that we're chasing in the industry are just in marketing. They're not doing much to create the things we spend our time on; they're just a face. A name. No different than mascot characters -- it's just now that we're growing up, apparently Sonic and Mario can't bear the brunt of the console wars any longer, and we've moved on to Reggie and pre-exodus Peter Moore. But let us know what you think -- that's why we're here.

It seems like those kids from Mega64 are all grown up. Just a few scant years ago they were pretending to be Mario and Luigi and harassing innocent people on the street. Now ... well, they're still doing that, but now they do it with Shigeru Miyamoto looking on and they get to show the results in an actual, fancy theater. Oh, and they look sexy doing it.

Their first-ever theatrical showing is set for Friday July 27 (during the San Diego Comic Con) at the La Jolla Village Theater. They'll be showing off some random bits, but the main feature is premiere of the first two episodes of Version 3, the third season of their show. More info (including how to purchase the $10 tickets) is available here. Also announced: Mega64 Time!, a two-disc collection of random bits and every video game ad the guys have ever made, which will be available the same weekend as the premiere. You see that? It's their first synergistic marketing! God, they grow up so fast.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Comic-Conmega64parodyshigerumiyamotoTue, 12 Jun 2007 09:01:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/08/miyamoto-i-want-to-make-games-you-dont-know-you-want/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/08/miyamoto-i-want-to-make-games-you-dont-know-you-want/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/08/miyamoto-i-want-to-make-games-you-dont-know-you-want/#commentsShigeru Miyamoto, the be-everything guy at Nintendo we love so much, recently conducted an interview with Entertainment Weekly in response to his being named as one of Time's 100 Most Influential. As if the amount of respect we have for the man could increase, he found a way through his answers in this interview. Especially so when the question of creating something like Halo came up.

"I could make Halo," Miyamoto says. "It's not that I couldn't design that game. It's just that I choose not to. One thing about my game design is that I never try to look for what people want and then try to make that game design. I always try to create new experiences that are fun to play." And that's what we love about Miyamoto. He could be developing those kinds of games, but he'd rather innovate then compensate. We respect that, even if it means that not all of his games are going to be amazing.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>miyamotonintendonintendowiishigerushigerumiyamotowiiTue, 08 May 2007 11:25:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/07/the-galaxy-awaits-marios-big-return/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/07/the-galaxy-awaits-marios-big-return/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/07/the-galaxy-awaits-marios-big-return/#commentsWith only a few months to go before the release of Super Mario Galaxy, expectations couldn't be higher for Nintendo's flagship hero. The title was recently confirmed for release this year, leaving our Nunchuk thumbs quivering in anticipation.

Mario is carrying a lot of weight on his shoulders, however. The groundbreaking titles, from the original Super Mario Brothers through to Super Mario 64 (sorry, Mario Sunshine), were more than great games; they also defined their platforms, setting new standards both technically and in terms of design.

It's no surprise then, that bloggers are starting to make demands for what they want to see in the new release. Check the link to see what people want this time around, and let us know what you want included.

Yes, Shigeru Miyamoto told Entertainment Weekly that he could make Halo, although he did go on to say, "It's that I choose not to." It's hard to imagine what a Miyamoto-designed Halo would look like. Lots of bright colors, anthropomorphic flora and fauna, and guns that squirt pink goo come to mind. On second thought, maybe imagining that is a bad, bad idea.

Miyamoto drops this gem and some others in a recent interview, including the fact that "If I could build a game that somehow made the young people respect their elders ..." He also wants to make a game that teaches freelancers to pay their taxes. Thankfully, before we can decide he's lost his marbles, he goes on to say "But I probably sound like an old man when I bring these things up."

Whew. We didn't want to have to say it for him. Still, there's a reason Shiggy was named one of Time's100 most influential people, and that the Wii is riding a wave of popularity ... he seems to know what fun is.

It seems you're not just Time Magazine's overall person of the year, you're also the most influential. At least when it comes to influencing a poll on the 100 most influential people of the year. After being nominated for Time's own top 100, it comes as little surprise to see Nintendo's legendary designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, place highly in the list constructed by internet users. With an average rating of 75 (out of 100) and 129,573 votes, the Mario maestro places 9th and effortlessly defeats the likes of Oprah Winfrey (43rd), George W. Bush (97th), George Clooney (26th) and Nelson Mandela (24th). Sure, the anti-apartheid, pro-democracy Nobel Peace prize winner wasn't involved in the creation of a new video game system this year, but we'd be remiss not to point out the amusing and somewhat bizarre priorities of voters.

And what of the list above Miyamoto? There you'll find Kiefer Sutherland (8th), J.K. Rowling (6th), Dane Cook and, nestled snugly in first position, Rain (who?). Time Magazine's own list wisely does away with rankings and lumps the designer on page 92, but not before suffering a critical lapse in sanity and asking Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel to extend his fingers beyond the WASD keys. Noting that Miyamoto "opened the world" to a host of "people who never even wanted to visit it before" is about all Wendel's article can manage before losing the plot and discussing his 12 championship wins, ultra-performance PCs and how he'll spend the rest of his life "championing video gaming as an equal to pro football or basketball."

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Legend of ZeldaLegendOfZeldaMarioMiyamotoNelson MandelaNelsonMandelaNintendoShigeru MiyamotoShigeruMiyamotoSuper MarioSuperMarioTimeWiiZeldaThu, 03 May 2007 22:34:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/update-shiggy-is-doing-great-in-the-time-100/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/update-shiggy-is-doing-great-in-the-time-100/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/update-shiggy-is-doing-great-in-the-time-100/#commentsBehind Rain, who is a Korean pop star and Stephen Colbert, who is one of the funniest folks on television, Shigeru Miyamoto is currently holding down third place in the race for most influential people of the year, according to Time. We just felt a little reminder was in order, in case you missed our last post informing you of his presence in the race. So, if you haven't gone over there to help Shiggy out, we suggest you do so now.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>miyamotonintendonintendowiishigerushigerumiyamotoshiggytimewiiMon, 30 Apr 2007 15:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/23/help-miyamoto-get-a-nod-from-time-magazine/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/23/help-miyamoto-get-a-nod-from-time-magazine/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/23/help-miyamoto-get-a-nod-from-time-magazine/#commentsTime magazine's website is running a feature right now where candidates are up for being included in the Time 100. What is the Time 100? Well, it's a who's-who list of influential and powerful people, a list that certainly demands to have one of, if not the most, influential game designers in the industry, Shigeru Miyamoto.

Lucky for him, you can have a say in who makes the list. All you have to do is follow the read link and give Mr. Miyamoto a rating. As of right now, he's got an average rating of 79, but we're sure that will come up. So, head on over and let your voice be heard.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>miyamotonintendonintendowiishigerushigerumiyamotoshiggytimewiiMon, 23 Apr 2007 13:25:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/new-wii-games-revealed-in-greek-interview/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/new-wii-games-revealed-in-greek-interview/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/new-wii-games-revealed-in-greek-interview/#commentsThe name George Katrinakis probably doesn't mean much to you unless you happen to live in Greece, as he's the CEO of Nortec Multimedia, the distributor of Nintendo products in the region. And it turns out this George knows a thing or two about the future of Wii gaming, dropping some clues on us ignorant folk about a pair of new titles. Wait, new games? Rock!

First up is a game, which is being dubbed Health Pack at the moment, that is certainly the most interesting in our eyes. After performing some exercises in the game, supposedly your personal data will be sent out to hospitals that have been contracted out by Nintendo via a new Channel and later returned as some kind of evaluation. Information on how the data will be collected and presented is sketchy as of right now, but we're pumped for a new Channel, let alone the doors this could open for future Channels and/or games.

The second title, Wii Music, sounds a lot like the orchestra demo that Shiggy demoed during the E3 keynote. In it, players will not only be able to control specific musicians in the orchestra, but also save their compositions and send them to other Wii users. While this doesn't tickle our fancy as much as Health Pack, we're certainly not in any position to complain about more games.

According to the interview, both of these games are to be released before the end of 2007.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>greecegreeknintendonintendowiishigerushigerumiyamotoshiggywiiWed, 11 Apr 2007 20:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/31/miyamoto-calls-out-third-parties/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/31/miyamoto-calls-out-third-parties/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/31/miyamoto-calls-out-third-parties/#commentsShigeru Miyamoto sat down with Newsweek's N'Gai Croal earlier this month and aired out his concerns with third party developers not putting their best efforts behind games for Nintendo systems. Companies often find that their biggest competition on consoles like the Wii and DS is Nintendo themselves, but according to Miyamoto, most third parties aren't rising to the challenge with their top development groups. Instead, they're depending on third- or fourth-string teams to produce their titles.

While not every game from Nintendo is a blockbuster hit, Miyamoto says that the company makes sure to put its best people behind titles that are "designed to really support and sell hardware." Can most third parties say they're doing the same? If not, then how much longer will it take before developers approach their Wii releases seriously and start using their star teams to create AAA titles for the console?

So, we agree then. In speaking to Newsweek's N'Gai Croal about the Olympic pairing of Sonic and Mario, Sega of America president, Simon Jeffery, echoes a widespread sentiment that it's time to give Sonic a bit of a reboot. "We are actually undergoing a fairly considerable refresh of Sonic as an intellectual property, as a character," says Jeffery. "Sonic on the Wii is probably the first product that's come to market that reflects that. We're not going to be bringing another game out on the other platforms for quite some time, because we feel that it is time to reinvent Sonic, to make Sonic contemporary again."

If Sonic and the Secret Ringswas the first step in revitalizing a franchise gone astray, it certainly wasn't a very good one. In fact, it turned out to be more like a drunken waddle out of bed before careening down a flight of stairs. Still, it's reassuring to see that Sega is, at the very least, attempting to reestablish their fallen mascot as a character that could convince you to buy his game. Unless, of course, that's still happening...

"At the same time, even the recent 360 and Playstation 3 games have sold extremely well," continues Jeffery. "Sonic is still an extremely endearing character; there's still a lot of love for Sonic out there in consumerland." If gamers are trying to send Sega a message, it's getting garbled in consumerland's confusing postal network. If we truly want a Sonic reboot, we'll have to stay away from the hedgehog until he gets his 3D act together. Perhaps a little help from Mario and Miyamoto will set him back on track by the time the 2008 Olympics arrive.

Long-time rivals Mario and Sonic are finally starring in a video game together ... but too bad it's not what you're expecting. The duo will finally be able to compete against each other in Super Smash Bros. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for Nintendo DS and Wii. All your favorite Mario and not-so-favorite Sonic characters will join the competition: Mario, Sonic, Luigi, Knuckles, Yoshi, Tails and more.

It appears that famous rivalry between these two 16-bit juggernauts has finally been tossed aside. The press release features some juicy quotes which feel ripped out of the video game Twilight Zone:

"We are thrilled to partner with Nintendo and ISM on this groundbreaking title," said Hisao Oguchi, President and Chief Operating Officer, SEGA Corporation. "For the first time, two of the world's greatest games' characters come together to compete in the world's greatest sporting event and we couldn't be more excited."

"Mario and Sonic have been respectful rivals since the early days of video games," says Shigeru Miyamoto, Senior Managing Director and General Manager, Entertainment Analysis and Development Division, Nintendo Co., Ltd.. "In fact, for a long time they have been discussing the possibility of one day competing against each other. Now that they have been given the perfect opportunity to meet at the Olympic Games, we may finally learn who is actually faster, Mario or Sonic?"

While this isn't the debut we may have wanted for these mascots, we'll take what we can get. Certainly, a competitive game of curling is almost identical to a match of Smash Bros., right? Check out the official website for more.

"What they're doing already exists in one form on the PC," he said. "Our focus [with Miis] is always to be different and do something that's different." Miyamoto furthers his opinion by expressing how the Mii system embraces but isn't focused on the internet, while noting that the character system took 20 years to "come to fruition." We assume much of that time was just Miyamoto circling the idea in his head, as his GDC keynote places the Mii conception alongside the Nintendo 64 era.

"We are trying to do something that is different and create something that hasn't been there before," he said.

A caricature creation system may not have been done explicitly on consoles before, but we still wouldn't call it an entirely new concept. Nor would we give the same honor to Home, but their integration is indeed a first for game consoles.

Miyamoto went on to address the idea the user-generated content, citing it as an inevitability. "It's not simply the question of whether there is a game editor," he said. "It is what form does that editor take." We have some idea.

Also of note, Miyamoto gave the obvious revelation that a Wii fitness game, tentatively titled health pack or Wii Fit, is underway to ride the wave of success of Wii minigame collections Wii Play and Wii Sports.

[Update 1: There was some confusion as to what Miyamoto said in the third line and what we added following the quote. The editorial has been given its own paragraph so as to alleviate some confusion.]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dean takahashiDeanTakahashihomemercury newsMercuryNewsmiimiyamotonintendops homePS3PsHomeshigeru miyamotoShigeruMiyamotosonytakahashiwiiMon, 19 Mar 2007 18:21:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/who-needs-wii-play-dress-up-with-shigeru-miyamoto/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/who-needs-wii-play-dress-up-with-shigeru-miyamoto/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/who-needs-wii-play-dress-up-with-shigeru-miyamoto/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, FashionWhen we read that Cartoon Doll Emporium was the "#1 online destination for girls ages 6 - 16" we knew it lined up perfectly with our target demographic ... we keed, we keed. But seriously, folks, how many of our testosterone-addled readers aren't going to jump at the opportunity to dress up a never nude Shigeru Miyamoto in everything from a Link outfit (pictured) to a Donkey Kong suit to a t-shirt featuring his most famous quote (which is only slightly more famous than the time he said he sucked young people's life force.)

A skit that went great until some guy... Mega64 contributed a few new skits to the Game Developers Choice Awards last week to much applause and laughter, including a pretty poignant piece on Feel the Magic XX / XY (we're still waiting for that one to pop up on the internet). One in particular made the crowd scream more than anything else that night. The YouTube description reads thusly: "A skit that went great until some guy made it all awkward."

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdcgdc 07Gdc07gdcamega 64Mega64miyamotoshigeru miyamotoShigeruMiyamotoMon, 12 Mar 2007 19:59:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/09/gdc-07-miyamoto-keynote-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/09/gdc-07-miyamoto-keynote-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/09/gdc-07-miyamoto-keynote-video/#commentsThere are dozens of clips floating around from Shigeru Miyamoto's keynote yesterday, but IGN has streaming video of the entire event available for your anxious eyes. You won't find any megaton announcements or landmark revelations, but the presentation is full of insights on "the Nintendo Difference" from the company's preeminent game designer.

What's Miyamoto's primary focus when developing a game? Why did it take 20 years before he could finally use his face creation software in a complete game? And whatever happened to Mario 128? If you have a free hour and a half, watch the keynote and find out.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>famicomgdcgdc07keynotemario128miimiyamotonintendonintendodifferenceshigeru miyamotoShigeruMiyamotosupermariogalaxywiiwiisportsFri, 09 Mar 2007 11:55:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/08/overheard-at-gdc-greatest-moment-of-my-life/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/08/overheard-at-gdc-greatest-moment-of-my-life/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/08/overheard-at-gdc-greatest-moment-of-my-life/#commentsFiled under: Culture"That was the single greatest moment of my life. He stood in front of me, he smiled, he took my game, he signed it, he shook my hand."-A passerby, talking on his cell phone about a chance meeting with Shigeru Miyamato, shortly after a presentation by game composer Koji Kondo.

6:42 pm: Sam and Max introduce the start for the independent games festival. The mention of projectile vomiting is disturbing, but welcoming somehow. 6:43 pm: Jamil Moledina and Simon Carless march onto stage, noting that the show is being broadcast to the entire world. We sense somewhat sinister undertones.

"There is an abundance of themes that people are interested in," he said, "and video games have only touched on few of them." No examples are cited, but would he consider working with serious, mature themes such as heartache, loss, redemption, suffering, et cetera? Miyamoto, alluding to Nintendo's new mantra, also explained that his future projects will be simple enough for all ages to enjoy, which is something he has always seemed to be adept at, though our previously-mentioned themes will probably not feature into universally-appealing projects.

The interview touched briefly on violence in video games, a theme Miyamoto does not wish to tackle. "Looking at the overall picture, it is important to understand and feel the pain that people might have ... we also have to take a careful approach, even in the circumstances when we are not portraying direct violence." Though the game legend might have aversion to violence, his words imply that there are cases when non-excessive presentation of aggression is understandable. Then again, if his goal is to appeal to people aged five to 95, then violence is probably something he's better off avoiding.

The Talk Asia interview also serves as a primer for those interested in Miyamoto's background; much of the history discussion reads like a Wikipedia entry.

Next month's Game Developers Choice Awards are set to feature someone very close to our hearts. Shigeru Miyamoto, the daddy of all good things Nintendo, is going to receive this year's Lifetime Achievement award. The official announcement lauds Miyamoto's two decades of contributions to Nintendo, highlighting his involvement in all the best games ever. Previous recipients include Yuji Naka and Will Wright, and while they're great and all, frankly we're surprised they don't hook Miyamoto up with this award every year.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSFebruaryGDC awardsGdcAwardsgettyIGDALifetime AchievementLifetimeAchieveNintendoShigeru MiyamotoShigeruMiyamotoMon, 12 Feb 2007 14:55:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/phil-harrison-to-give-second-gdc-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/phil-harrison-to-give-second-gdc-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/phil-harrison-to-give-second-gdc-keynote/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Sony PlayStation 3Sony figurehead Phil Harrison has been announced as a keynote speaker for this year's Game Developers Conference. Harrison's speech, entitled Game 3.0: Developing and Creating for the 3rd Age of Video Games, will purportedly define the term Game 3.0 and show how Sony Worldwide Studio will "demonstrate some exclusive insights into its development of products and services that will help define future growth in the video game market."

We're curious to see how Harrison defines Game Ages 1.0 and 2.0, as by most accounts we're in the seventh generation of console games and we're not sure where he divides the lines. Chances are the ages correspond with each PlayStation iteration (remember: generations don't start until Sony says so). Semantics aside, we'll be happy if Harrison's speech is more interesting than Kutaragi's Tokyo Game Show debacle.

Harrison is the second of three speeches to be announced, with Shigeru Miyamoto being revealed as a keynote speaker earlier this week. Other notable speakers include Square Enix's Ichiri Otobe who will be giving a Serious Game Summit GDC keynote Monday, March 5.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Game3.0GameAgeGdc07IchiriOtobePhilHarrisonPS3ShigeruMiyamotoThu, 25 Jan 2007 17:25:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/22/gdc-to-host-miyamoto-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/22/gdc-to-host-miyamoto-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/22/gdc-to-host-miyamoto-keynote/#commentsFiled under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, GDCWe don't want to alarm anyone, but Nintendo's own Shigeru Miyamoto will be coming to San Francisco this march to conduct a keynote at the Game Developers Conference. Before anyone gets the wrong impression about this and rushes to Wal-Mart for some poster board in an attempt to be internet famous, please, don't. It makes for fantastic blogging fodder to be sure, but lets spare the development community what should be reserved for the internets.

As his first GDC keynote since 1999, Miyamoto's appearance could possibly be the most popular event at the conference. It's not indicated exactly as to what Mario's papa will be talking about beyond "the creative process behind his work on highly-regarded software as well as his thoughts on new Nintendo hardware", his keynote is titled "A Creative Vision." Maybe if we're all good boys and girls, he'll drop less "bombs" and clue us in on the secret of the DS printing money.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>creative visionCreativeVisioncreepy fanboysCreepyFanboysDSgame developers conferenceGameDevelopersConferencegdcGDC07keynotenintendonintendo dsnintendo wiiNintendoDsNintendoWiishigeru miyamotoShigeruMiyamotowal-martWiiMon, 22 Jan 2007 12:25:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/satoru-iwata-biggest-japanese-industry-cheese-of-06/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/satoru-iwata-biggest-japanese-industry-cheese-of-06/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/satoru-iwata-biggest-japanese-industry-cheese-of-06/#commentsFiled under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo GameCube, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, BusinessThe latest issue of Japan's Weekly Famitsu contains gory details of the magazine's annual Japanese industry awards, and it's little surprise that renowned industry savior Satoru Iwata is cited as the figure who made the greatest impact on videogames in 2006. NCL's friendly President (there's a French brand of cheese called Président, you know) received 201 votes to pip Ken Kutaragi, of all people, to the title. What "Big Ken" was even doing in the listings we fail to fathom, but there you have it. And here you have Famitsu's top five Japanese industry cheeses:

How could we possibly let the birthday of our overlord, Shigeru Miyamoto, pass unnoticed? He's at the center of all our favorite (photoshopped) pictures, he's funny ... oh, and yeah, he is responsible for a few video games or something.

Who are we kidding? We can't be coy. Miyamoto is the reason we're here every day; if not for his crazy creations, we might be doing something else, and that would be a tragedy. Here's to you, Mr. Miyamoto, and may you have 54 more.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>birthdayMiyamotoShigeru MiyamotoShigeruMiyamotoThu, 16 Nov 2006 14:45:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/20/joyswag-miyamoberg-is-a-hit/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/20/joyswag-miyamoberg-is-a-hit/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/20/joyswag-miyamoberg-is-a-hit/#commentsFiled under: JoyswagAfter trawling through a considerable number of entries for our latest Joyswag contest and being subjected to images both hilarious and infinitely disturbing, we've finally picked four winners. There were plenty of superb entries, though it was certainly alarming to note how quickly we became numb to decapitated Sony executives, Indiana Jones crossovers and, lest we forget, gigantic male genitalia.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CompetitionsJoyswagShigeru MiyamotoShigeruMiyamotoSteven SpielbergStevenSpielbergSun, 20 Aug 2006 22:35:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/20/iwata-nintendo-to-intensify-software-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/20/iwata-nintendo-to-intensify-software-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/20/iwata-nintendo-to-intensify-software-development/#commentsThough we wouldn't normally pay much attention to something called a "Corporate Management Policy Briefing," we'll make an exception when it comes to Nintendo and their beloved Wii. Fielding some questions regarding the system's impending launch, Satoru Iwata attempted to assuage some concern over Nintendo's previous cubic console and its muted commercial success. He noted that Nintendo's inability to consistently and timeously release new games after launch stuttered the system's momentum, a problem which, if all goes to plan, won't rear its snarling head in the next round.

"To avoid repeating this with Wii, we have been intensifying the software development, both internally at Nintendo and at developers outside the company, in order to prepare aggressive software lineup for Wii at and after the launch." However, Shigeru Miyamoto (who admits to being occupied by a super secret project) added that Nintendo hasn't greatly increased the number of people working on projects, with over 1,500 people already banging keyboards and waving wiimotes in the hopes of generating more Nintendo classics.

In that case, how exactly does Nintendo plan to intensify software development? If they have stricter management and curtailed development times in mind, how will that affect their forthcoming titles? Careful Nintendo -- striking the perfect balance between quantity and quality isn't going to be easy.

The animated .gif addicts over at YTMND have been very busy lately revealing the truthiness behind recent video game rumors. Here are some of those OMIGOD NEWS FLASH! announcements from YTMND's gaming posse:

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustriesARTBungieDickDuck HuntDuckHuntEndingFPSFUNFUNNYHAHAHalf-LifeHalf-Life 2Half-life2HaloHalo 3Halo-2Halo3HL2HumorLAUGHMaster ChiefMasterChiefMicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosMiyamotoNintendoPlaystation 3Playstation3PS3RevealedshigeruShigeru MiyamotoShigeruMiyamotoSHiggySHOCK and AWEShockAndAweSpoilersWiiXbox-360YTMNDMon, 12 Jun 2006 13:55:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/30/miyamoto-speculates-on-starfox-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/30/miyamoto-speculates-on-starfox-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/30/miyamoto-speculates-on-starfox-wii/#commentsSeveral sources on the Intertron suggest that Miyamoto recently confirmed a StarFox game for the Wii...sort of. The article cited is an interview from the latest issue of Famitsu, wherein Shigeru Miyamoto suggested that a StarFox game (if Nintendo were to make one, mind you) could make some involving and intricate use of the Wiimote. A shocking revelation indeed, especially in the wake of a Virtual Console that is likely to feature the original, and dare we say good, StarFox titles. No offense to those that enjoy frolicking around on the ground in the company of dinosaurs, of course.

If Nintendo takes Miyamoto's ideas and develops a full game (and they almost certainly will), we can only hope they keep the Fox's feet off the ground and well within the space opera house.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FlyingShigeru MiyamotoShigeruMiyamotoStarFoxStarFox AdventuresStarFox AssaultStarfoxAdventuresStarfoxAssaultWiimoteTue, 30 May 2006 13:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/24/miyamoto-talks-wiinaming-caricatures/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/24/miyamoto-talks-wiinaming-caricatures/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/24/miyamoto-talks-wiinaming-caricatures/#commentsIn talking with CNN Money's Chris Morris, omnipotent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto expresses what just about everyone has been thinking, at least until recently: "Revolution" is a much better name than "Wii." Miyamoto notes that a large part of the decision to change to the shorter and much easier to mock name came from the belief that non-gamers would feel threatened by a term normally used for violent uprisings and/or anti-parasitic pet medications.

"When we first thought about it, myself and others felt that the name Revolution was very appropriate to what we were doing, but [Revolution] is a name that was almost threatening to non-gamers. It wasn't acceptable. So we thought this was more friendly and inviting."

In the same article, Miyamoto also hints that the Iwata and Reggie caricatures seen in Wii Sports: Tennis aren't just an in-joke, but a customizable feature of the game. The thought of playing as (more) deformed versions of ourselves has us amused and intrigued--could there be another Wii secret in store, such as a camera attachment or the ability to read photos from a USB storage device? Nah, it's most likely just an avatar creation utility like those found in Animal Crossing: Wild World or Mario Kart DS, albeit a much more advanced one thanks to the Wiimote's abilities.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CaricatureCustomizationMarioMiyamotoShigeru MiyamotoShigeruMiyamotoTennisWii SportsWiiSportsWed, 24 May 2006 20:42:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/15/spielberg-of-gaming-and-spielberg-of-movies-play-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/15/spielberg-of-gaming-and-spielberg-of-movies-play-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/15/spielberg-of-gaming-and-spielberg-of-movies-play-wii/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Nintendo Wii, Sports, E3The AP managed to snap some shots of Shigeru Miyamoto -- often called the Spielberg of video games -- and Steven Spielberg -- the, uh, Spielberg of movies -- playing a quick round of tennis in LA last week, as celebrities are wont to do. Couple things though: they played using Nintendo's new Wii console, and they did it in amidst the frenzy of E3.

Really wish we got in there for this although, judging by the relatively empty space behind them, it appears Nintendo had these VIPs isolated from the unwashed masses. That reminds me, things to do before I die: play a Nintendo game with Shigeru Miyamoto.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>E3e32006MiyamotoMoviesShigeru MiyamotoShigeruMiyamotoSpielbergSteven SpielbergStevenSpielbergWiiMon, 15 May 2006 22:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/15/whos-got-a-joystiq-t-shirt/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/15/whos-got-a-joystiq-t-shirt/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/15/whos-got-a-joystiq-t-shirt/#commentsFiled under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, E3Our limited-edition Joystiq T-shirts are rolling out to our biggest (and speediest) fans right now. Then there's our not as limited-edition Joystiq E3 shirts that we were giving out at the show. Did you grab enough business cards from Joystiqers on the show floor, like the Joystiq luchador did? Did you make it to the AOL booth during our short, one-hour handout? Or were you gracious enough to grant Joystiq an interview, like Peter, Perrin, Shane, and Miyamoto-san?

If you're sporting a Joystiq tee, let us know what you think. Didn't get one? We'll be giving away the orange shirts on the site so keep your eyes peeled. And if you see somebody sporting one on the street, stop 'em and say hi. They're either Joystiq readers or one of us.

Big thanks to Philip and Yann for the incredible designs. Seriously, we're humbled.

When we found out Shigeru Miyamoto wanted to give us a second round to ask him about the latest in the world of Nintendo here at E3, I found that same inner-child fanboy Peter reminisced about when we last interviewed him start to emerge. Suddenly I wanted to play all those games I grew up on again, but we had to know how he thinks the Wii is going to change the future of gaming. Vlad Cole and I somehow managed to pull ourselves together long enough to ask him about whether the sedentary gaming world is ready for full-body frenetic gameplay, how he's influencing the next generation of Nintendo games and game designers, the media agendas of the 360 and PlayStation 3, and even a little on HD gaming.

So, thank you very much for meeting with us, I really appreciate it. The Wii represents a major step forward for Nintendo in terms of functionality and capabilities. One of the things we're really curious to know is what Wii is going to enable you as a game maker to create that you've never been able to create before.

Well, I think the greatest strength of the Wii is that it allows you to create games that are very intuitive and very easy to pick up and play, such that people who've never played a video game before can easily pick up the controller and start playing. And that's kind of the concept behind the games like Tennis and Golf and Baseball and the Wii Sports Series, and these are really kind of the very basic games that we're looking at doing.

And then of course thinking about the types of games that the gamers have come to know and play over the years, the unique features of the Wii controller, such as the direct pointing device on the Wii Remote will allow gamers to now more directly interact with the types of game screens that they've seen, where they're pointing directly at a place on screen to interact with it.

Is there a type of game that even now you still can't or for whatever reason create?

I can't think of any off the top of my head. I don't really have any ideas that stew in my brain for long periods of time. I really just focus on what I'm working on at the moment.

The one thing that I have been thinking about for a long time is this problem we've had with 3D games, where as we've been making 3D games, 3D worlds and the control schemes have becomes so complicated. People who don't play games can't easily jump into those interactive worlds and experience them. And I think we've been able to overcome some of that difficulty with the functionality of the Wii controller. So now as we go forward and create software I have to continue to think of ideas of how to take advantage of that to overcome that barrier.